Sometimes it just takes 1 emergency. My car was totaled in November. I had exactly nothing extra after paying all my bills and whatnot (AND I work 2 jobs by default to get by) I had to put my down payment on a credit card because I absolutely can't go without a car (single, live by myself, no family, America where there's no public transportation) 1 emergency was all it took for me. I'm lucky in that I got the value of my old car back from my insurance (all whopping 7k of it) but then my cat got very sick and there's more shit that went on a credit card. 1 emergency for most Americans. It sucks